Peter Davis of Paper Magazine

How has your work at Paper Magazine influenced your personal style?
Being an editor and writer at Paper means I get to witness fashion and street style happen before most people do. I get first dibs, as they say, into designer’s minds. I’ve been introduced to so much talent through Paper, from Ruben and Isabel Toledo to Neckface. I started at Paper as a high school intern so I knew Isabel Toledo way before Michelle Obama made her super-duper famous.

What kind of art are you most attracted to? Tell us about what you love about your recent purchases!
I collect pop art and photography. Besides one by Helmut Newton, I only collect photojournalism. I love great fashion photography, but I don’t want an image of Kate Moss or Madonna on my wall. I have photographs by Larry Clark, Bruce Gilden, William Klein, Garry Winogrand, Martin Parr, Danny Lyon, Terry Richardson and some younger photographers too, like Justine Parsons and Alex Webb. I have three Cindy Shermans, which I treasure. Her Untitled Film Stills are my dream to hang on my walls. I covet my hot pink Warhol electric chair and Campbell’s soup can. I have a bunch of Edward Gorey prints and drawings that are amazing and macabre. I also love my Damien Hirst LSD print. I wish I had the dough for his formaldehyde shark tank. I crave everything by the Chapman Brothers. My most recent purchases were two Mike Mills prints from this great new design think tank/gallery called Partners & Spade at 40 Great Jones Street. I have some great found art from them too, like a photograph from the 1950s of three kids dressed as ghouls. It looks like a mini Diane Arbus. Meanwhile, framing that $15 snapshot cost way more than the photo. I want a real Arbus and a Weegee more than anything!

Top 10 Inspirations
My job: I’ve interviewed everyone from Gwen Stefani to Heidi Fleiss to Valentino to Shawn White. New York City: The best street style happens here. Travel: I’m a travel junkie. I just got back from Bombay. The colors there are literally electric. Pinks are pinker and the orange is almost day-glo. Photography: I just bought a “real” camera, the latest Canon 5D. It’s huge. I secretly want to be the next Bill Cunningham. I want to capture real street style (not people dressed for parties). Fashion is an amazing document of what’s happening and the mood at that moment in the world. Andy Warhol: What’s great about Warhol is that he did everything from art to film to Interview magazine to TV. It’s inspiring when people try their hand at everything. Change is the best way to be creative. Japan: Tokyo is one of my favorite cities in the world. The style there is amazing from the over-the-top Harajuku kids to the business women in head to toe Comme des Garçons. The shopping (which is a sport in Japan), the electronic gadgets, sushi at Tsukiji fish market, it’s a true wonderland. Nightlife: New York is not about staying home. I stay at home at my place in Los Angeles. In New York, I’ll sometimes hit five or more openings and parties in one night. My job is to stay informed and being on the scene is the way to do that. My Tailor: Timothy Everest, who is in London, is a master. His eye is modern, with old school skills. I love bespoke clothes because no one will have on the same suit or jacket. If I could afford it, I’d have everything custom made, even my toothbrush. I recently had two pairs of sunglasses made at this amazing Optician. Music: I have almost 13,000 songs on my laptop. I come up with the best ideas while I listen to good music, whether it’s The Clash or Barry White or Kings of Leon. London: I worship London. It’s such a guy’s city style-wise. I’d love to find a reason to live there.                                                       

Tell us your top places to buy art and fashion.
Partners & Spade: My new favorite art/design spot in New York. New Image Art: The best gallery in Los Angeles. I scored my Neckface pieces there.Ron Herman/Fred Segal: My favorite store in America. I love Ron Herman’s Free City line and the buyers at Fred Segal whittle down every designer collection and only sell the best stuff. I go there every time I’m in L.A. Sportie LA: This is the spot for sneaker shopping. I collect sneakers and if I need a fix, I hit this frenzy of a store on Melrose Avenue. Artist’s Studios: The best way to collect art is to go straight to the source.

Check out Paper Mag at www.papermag.com
-Melissa Maynard